Coal-mining machine



Nov. Z3 1926.

Filed May 21, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheetl l uw b1 Nov. 23 1926.

iled May 2l, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mw. C

GUM/umg Nov. 23 1926.

C. A. WARDEN COAL MINING MACHINE Filed May 21, '1,924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1,608,149 c. A. WARDEN- coAL mums MACHINE Filed May 21, 1924 4 Sheets-sheet 4 Nov. 23C 1926.

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Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHARLES A. WARDEN, on HUNTINGTON, wEsi: VIRGINIA.

COAL-MINING MACHINE.

Application legd May 21,

This invention relates to improvements in coal mining machines of the class adapted for loading loose coal from the floor of rooms or entries into cars by means of which it may be transported totip'ples.

An important object of the invention is to provide a loader which .is capable of being sumped under a loose pile of coal and may then be moved laterally, under the pile of coal, for causing the latter to be automatically placed upon the loader in a position to be conveyed to a mine car.

A further object of the invention is to' provide means for combiningr1 or uniting standard forms of shortwall mining niachines with standard forms of simple conveyors insuch a manner that the ability of. .the short wall machines to form sump and lerf cuts'may: be utilized for placing the simple conveyors in such positions for causing the lat-ter to be automatically loaded by the fallingof loose vcoal thereupon.

Other objects and advantages of thein vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 illustrates a horizontal sectional view taken through a room in a coal mine and shows a pile of loose coal which has been shot down from the face of the room with the loader embodying this invention in a position ready to be sumped under the said loose pile of coal,

Figure 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 with the exception that the coal loader is illus'- trated after it has been sumped under the pile of loose coal and is being inoved laterally along` the floor of the room for the purpose of causing the coalr to fall upon the conveyorportion of the loader whereupon the conveyor may carry the coal to the mine coal,

Figure 3 is a side elevational View ofthe' loader embodying.l this inventionpmotintedI upon the transportation truck ,employed4 for loader illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4,

` nisni car illustrated as being partially filled lwith 1924. serial N. 714,822.

Figure 6 is al transverse sectional view talren'through the rear portion of the loader illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4L inclusive,

Figure 7 is ay detail top plan View of the front end'portion or wedge-shaped shoeV of the conveyor portion of the loader,

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of Fig. ,7 4

. yFigure 9 is a transverse ysectional View 'taken upon line IX-I'X' of Fig. 8,

Figure 10 is a detail plan view of the upper transfer'board illustrated in section lin Fig.V 5 and in top plan in Figs. l1 and t,

Figure 11 is a top plan View of a connector 'pan illustrated in section in Fig. 6, 'and Figure 12 is a rear end elevational View ofthe pan illustrated in Fig. k11.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, and wherein only Ithe features of construction 'ofy the shortwall mining machines and the simple conveyors that are of importance to this invention are shown, the numeral designates the body portion of a conventional form of shortwall mining'n'iachine which further includes the cutter bar 6 that extends longitudinally outwardly from one end of the body portion v5 r`and further extends longitudinally through the under portion of the body 5 rof the machine. Carried by the outer end of the cutter bar 6 is a sprocket wheel 7 which supports and guides the chain type of cutter 8, as illustrated. Positioned in proximity to the inner end of the cutter bar 6 is the main drive sprocket l9 which is employed for driving the chain cutter. lt is to be understood that suitable mechais positioned within the body portion 5 of the shortwall mining machine for rotating this main drive sprocket 9 at a desired speed for properly operating the chain cutter' 8. n

'When this shortwall type of mining inachineis used as a'complete unit for undercutting or forming a lterf along the face ofr ya room -`or entry, the' said machine is placed Vupon t'hleflo'or ofthe room and is driven .longitudinally forwardly by means of a feedv ropejor chain' for. forming a sump cut into the faceof the room adjacent one wall or rib the latter..- In Figs. 1, and 2 the mechanism employed for moving v this short-y wall ymachine is` clearly illustrated.v The shortwall mininilr machine is rovidedwithj D y Y a driving sheave 10 which is mounted upon a vertically extending shaft and is driven by the mechanism housed within the body portion of the apparatus. rlhe machine is further provided with a rear sheave 11 and the opposite side sheaves l2 and 13. The shortwall machine is further provided with a front shcave 11i which is carried laterally of one side face of the same. A feed rope or chain 15 is passed around these various sheaves 10' to ldinclusive in the manner illustrated in these three figures and is connected at its opposite ends to anchor-jacks 1G which are properly positioned in a well known manner for permitting the desired a lierf cut to be formed alongthe base of the j face of the room.

rlhe type of` simple conveyor' employee in connection with this invention includes a frame which consists of the channel iron eide platesl 17 which are constructed to form the `horizontally extending` forward end portion -c-, the rearwardly inclined portion -7Q and the rear edge portion c the latter' portion being vertically pivotally connected to the upper end of the inclined portion -o for permitting the free end of the portion om to be regulated to accommodate -ininecars of different heights. These sections and Mcare connected at their adjacent ends by the barrel joint 1S. l'n Figs. 5 and `6 some of the detail features of construction of this simple conveyor' type of apparatus are illustrated asV consisting of a bottoni plate 1.9 which connects the side plates 17 of the conveyor frame and the trough plate 2O which is con` nected to the inner faces of the side plates 17 by the angle irons 21 which extend longitudinally of said side plates. Suitably secured to the upper edge portion of the side plates 17 are the longitudinally eX- tending angle iron guards 22 which are also employed for guiding` the coal in its travel edge and a horizontally extending portion 24 at its forward edge, the rear portion 2li" being adapted for connection with the upper edges of the side plates 17 while the front horizontal portioir 2tfis riveted to the projecting portion 19L of the bottom plate 19. It will be seen that the end portions 19 and 211" are forged to a chisel edge for the purpose to be described at a later point. lt will, i also, be seen that the Vstructure illustrated' in Figs 8 and 9 form a wedge-shaped shoe at the forward end of rollers 30; that are "em lo ed for carr inoV the conveyor chain. This conveyor chain comprises the side chains 31, best illust-rated in Fig. 5, to which are connected the cross flights `32.` It will be seen by inspecting,` Fig. 5 that these cross flights rest upon the trough plate 20 during their travel from the front end of the conveyor frame to the rearv'end and that the nights restupon the bottonrplate 19 during their return travel to the front end of theframe. A C

The mechanism employed for driving this conveyor' chain is mounted within a suitable housing 3B carried in proximity to the intermediate portion of theconveyor frame and includes a motor 34 having a `pinion mounted upon one end of its armature shaft. This pinion is in constant mesh with a gear S6 that is mounted upon `a shaft 37 which extends in parallelism with the armature shaft of the motor 8d. This shaft 37 carries a sjriroclret wheelBS that receives a sprocket `chain 39 which extends forwardly to drivethe sprocket gear mounted upon the shaft d1. rllhis shaft 41 carries a conveyor chain drive 42 'around which the conveyor chains Si. travel. rllhere are also provided idlerst which support the conveyor chain on oppositesides of the chain drive 4,2.

As has been stated heretofore thisinvention embodies the idea of operatively connectingthe two independent unitary structures into one machine which is capable of being' employed as a loader capable of per-- forming the work now accomplished bythe combination loader and conveyor types of mining machines. necting the projecting portion of the cutter bar 6 to the forward section ca of the conveyor, the inner side plate 17` of the latter s provided with any desired 4uiunber of l..-

For the purpose of con isa while it is connected to or disconnected from the shortivall mining` machine- After these units have been connected, the same may be mounted upon the transportation truck 53 and carried to the first point of operation Where they may be unloaded from the truclr and placed on the floor of the room or en try, as illustrated in Fig. l. The feed rope or chain l5 with the anchor-jacks 1G should then be arranged substantially as illustrated in Fig. l, whereupon the loading-out machine will be in readiness for operation. rlhe mine car 59 mounted upon the track 60 may then be placed under the free end of the conveyor section -o-, as illustrated 'in Fiss l and 2.

lifter the cutter chainV 8 placed in motion and the motor started for driving the conveyor chain flight-s rearwardly along the trough plate 32 toward the mine car 59, the feed rope or chain l5 may then be operated by means of the driving slieave l0 for causing the project-ing portion of the cutter bar 6 and the parallel front sect-ion of the conyeyor to be suinped under the pile of loose coal in close proximity to the side Wall or rib of the room. Fig. l illustrates the improved form of loading-out machine embodying this in- \."ention in posit-ion for starting this sump cnt. The Wed'e-shaped shoe formed on the forward end of the conveyor frame will permit the same to be forced under the pile of coal without producing any great amount of friction or resistance to the mov-ement of the same. The travel of the cross ilights 32 in a direction toward the mine car 59' will rapidly carry the loose coal positioned above the `front section Maof. the conveyor bacli to the said mine car. After the apparatus has been sumped under the pile of loose coal, the anchorjacls lo may be shifted into substantially the positions illustrated in Fig. 2. The shortivall mining machine, by its standard equipment, may then be moved laterally overthe `floor of the mine room or entry and will drag the conveyor along with it. The cutter chain 8 of the short/Wall mining machine will form a lrerf or in other words will cut a path underneath the pile of loose coal for permitting the travel of the proliecting portion of the cutter bar 6 and the front end section -aof the conveyor laterally over the floor of the room. This lateral movement of the loader will cause the coal to fall upon 4the conveyor and be carried rearwardly to be dumped into mine cars located beneath the rear end of the conveyor section -c-. rlhe upper transfer board l will bridge the space between the projecting portion of the cutter bar Gand the section -a of the conveyor and will cause the coal to be pushed thereover onto the conveyor- Fig. 2 shows the loader after description.

it has been sumped under the pile of coal and has been started on its lateral move ment over the floor of the mine.

It Will be clearly seen that when the loader is sumped under the pile `of loose 'Ill coal, some of the latter will collectbetween cutter chain While it is traveling within the.

body portion 5 of the machine and will be guided around the main drive sprocket 0 by the arcuate shield 50 nfhereupon this coal will be carried forwardly by the cutter chain Vand will be returned to the pile in advance of the cutter bar. During the lateral movement of this loader over the iioor of the mine, the slack coal will also be dealt with in the same1 manner and the under transfer board will further aid in cleaning up this slaclr coal by substantially` scooping up the same and causing it to be placed upon the conveyor'.

lt is very apparent that While the independent elements embodying this invention are illustrated as being united or connected in such a manner that they must be moved laterally toward the left for causing the saine to properly operate, these independent units may be readily connect-ed together fill for permitting the entire device to be noved laterally toward the right for causing` the saine to perform its intended Worlr, the cutter chain being arranged to travel in the opposite directionwhen the tivo units are connected for traveling toward the right,

It is now believed that the construction and operation of this improved loader Will be clearly understood from the above detail It is to `be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to betalren as a preferred example oil" the saine, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangemeiit of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or theV i sco Je of the subjoined claims.

daving thus described the invention, I claim l. In a coal mining machine, a horizontally e:\.:tending4 lrerf cutter having a longi tudinally projecting cutter bar adapted for being moved either longitudinally or laterally for forming a herf cut under a pile of loose coal with said cutter bar, a conveyor `secured' to the body portion of said lrerf cutter and having a portion projecting in spaced parallelism with said cutter bar lwhereby when the latter is forming said lrerf the projecting portion of said conveyor Will be moved through said lrerf and Will carry lid away the coal falling thereupon, and means carried by said cutter bar for preventing coal from falling into the space between the cutter bar and the adjacent portion of said conveyor when the same are moved laterally under the pile of loose coal.

2. In a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending hei-f cutter havin@ a longitudinally projecting cutter bar adapted for being moved either longitudinally or laterally for forming a herf cut under a pile of loose coal with said cutter bar, a conveyor secured to the body portion of said herf cutter and having a portion proj ect-ing in spaced parallelism with said cutter bar whereby `rlien the latter is forming said herf, the projectingl portion of said conveyor will be moved through said hert' and will carry away the coal falling thereupon, and means removably secured to the cutter bar and extending longitudinally thereof for preventing coal from falling into the space between the cutter bar andthe adjacent portion of said conveyor when the same are moved laterally under the pile of loose coal.

3. ln a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending herf cutter comprising a body port-ion and a cutter bar projecting therefrom adapted for forming a herf cut under a pile of loose coal with said cutter bar, an endless conveyor secured to the body portion of said herf cutter and having a portion projecting in spaced parallelism with said cutter bar whereby when said cutter bar is forming said herfthe projecting portion of said conveyor will be moved through said herf and will carry away the coal falling thereupon, and means carried by said cutter bar and overhanging the adjacent portion of said conveyor for preventinn coal from falling into the space between the same when moved laterally under-the pile of loose coal.

Lil. ln a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending herf cutter comprising a body portion and a cutter bar projecting therefrom adapted for forming a herf cut under a pile of loose coal with said cutter bar, an endless conveyor secured to the body portion of said herf cutter and having a portion projectingin spaced parallelism with said cutter bar whereby when the latter is forming said herf the projecting portion of said conveyor will be moved through said herf and will carry away the coal falling thereupon, and a transfer board carried by said cut-ter bar and overhanging the adjacent portion of said conveyor for preventing coal from falling into the space between the same.

5. In a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending herf cutter comprising a bodysaid conveyor-will be moved through said herf and will carry away the coal falling thereupon, and yan imperforate transfer board extending` loneit-udinally said cutter bar and removably secured to the top face thereof for bridging the space between the cutter bar and the adjacent portion ol' saidv conveyor.

6, ln a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending hert` cutter comprising 'a body portion and a cinter bar projecting y;

therefrom adapted for forming a herf cut under a pileof loose coal, an endless conveyor secured to the body portion of said herf cutter' and having av portion projecting in spaced parallelism with saidy cutter bar whereby when the latter isA forming said herf the projecting portion of said conveyor will be moved through said hert and will carry away the coal fallingthereupon, and a vertically inclinedV board carried by the inner side of the projecting-portion of said conveyor and extending laterally with its free edge underlying the path of travel ot the cutters on the cutter bar for scraping up coal between the cutterbar and the conveyor as the same are moved laterally `through said herf.

7. In a coal mining machine, a horizontallyV extending herf cutter comprising a body portion and a cutter bar projecting therefrom adapted for forming a herf cut under a pile of loose coal, an endless conveyor, a detachable pan for connecting the intermediateportion of said conveyor to the vbod ortion of said herf cutter andmeans for detachably connecting` the frontend poi'- tion of said conveyor 'to the cutter bar whereby when the latter is forming said herf the front end portion of. the conveyor will be moved through said herf and will carry away the coal= falling thereupon.

8. In a coal; miningfinachine, a horizontally extending` her-f cutter.` comprising a body portion and a cutter bar projecting` therefrom adapted for forming a herf cut under a pile of loose coal, and endless conveyor, means for detachably connecting` the intermediate portion of said conveyor to the body portion of said herf cutter, a laterally projecting brachet carried by the front end portion of said conveyor for connecting the same to the cutter bar in spaced relation thereto whereby when the latter is forn'iing said herf the front end portion of the conveyor will be moved thru said herf and will carry away the coal falling thereupon, and means detachably carried by the cutter bar for bridging the space between the same and the front end portion of the conveyor for prevent-ing coal from falling therebetween,

Slt)

9. In a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending kert cutter comprising a. body portion and a cutter bar projecting therefrom adapted tor forming a. lier-t out raider a piloot loose coal, an endless convcvor, a pan detachably connected to the under 'tetes ot the body portion ot the lreriE cutter and the intermediate portion ot the conveyor, and a laterally projecting bracket secured to the inner side oit the :trent end portion oit the conveyor' and connected to the cutter bar whereby when the latter is orming said kort the trent end portion ot the conveyor will be moved through said lieti and will carry away the Vcoal falling thereupon. i

l0. ln a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending hert cutter adapted i'or terming a lrert under a pile of loose coal, said lrerf cutter comprising a body portion, a. cutter bar extending longitudinally through and projecting from one end ot the body portion, a chain cutter carried by said cutter bar; an endless conveyor connected to the hert cutter and having a portion eX- tending in spaced parallelism with the pro- `iecting portion ot said cutter bar for re ceiving coal falling thereupon during the 'forming of the ker in said pile, and means associated with the inner end of the cutter bar i'or causing any coal drawn into said bodyr portion by the chain cutter to be guided soas to be returned to the pile by the cutter chain.

ll.. ln a coal mining machine, a horizontally extending korf -cutter adapted for forming a lrert' under a pile ot'- loose coal, said lrerf cutter comprising a body portion, a cutter' bar extending longitudinally therethru and projecting from one end, and a chain cutter carried by said cutter bar; an endless conveyor connected to the lrert cutter and having a portion extending in spaced parallelism with the projecting portion of said cutter bar for receiving coal falling thereupon during the forming ot the kert in said pile, and an arcuate guide asso ciated with the inner end of the cutter bar for causing any coal drawn into said body portion by the chainccutter to be guided so as to be returned to the pile by the cutter chain in advance ot said cutter bar.

In a coal mining machine, a cutter bar, a conveyor' fastened thereto and arranged in spaced parallelism therew'ith, means for moving said members longitudinally and laterally over` the floor oi' a mine, and a transfer board mounted upon the cutter bar and extending laterally to terminate above the conveyor. i Y

18. In a coat mining machine, a cutter bar, a conreyor `fastened thereto and arranged in spaced parallelism therewith, means tor moving said n'iembers longitudinally and iaterally over the tioor of a mine, a transfer board mounted upon the cutter bar and extending laterally to terminate above. the conveyor, and a second transfer board 'fastened to the inner side ot the con- `veyor beneath the first mentioned transfer board and extending from the iioor line to a point above the conveyortor scraping up loose coal from the tloor and `dropping it into the conveyor when the members are moved laterally.

lli. ln a coal mining machine,a cutter bar, a conveyor `fastened thereto and arranged in spaced parallelism therewith, means tor moving ,said members longitudinally and laterally over the floor ot a mine, a transfer board mountedupon the cutter bar and extending laterally to terminate above the conveyor', a second transfer board fastened to the inner side of `the conveyor beneath the iirst mentioned transfer board and extending from the door line to a point above the conveyor for scraping up loose coal from the iioor and dropping it onto the conveyor when the members are moved laterally, and a forwardly declining shoe carried `by the liront end ot' the conveyor ttor scraping up loose coal from the tloor ot the mine in trent ot the conveyor when the mcinbers are moved longitudinally.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

CHARLES A. VARDEN. 

